This is it: Volkswagen’s new Amarok(star) officially revealed

Twelve years after debuting as the brand’s first in-house developed bakkie, Volkswagen, after global sales of 830 000 units, has officially unveiled the all-new, second generation Amarok.

Ending more than three years of speculative reports and recently, a barrage of exterior and interior teaser images, the initiator of the premium segment bakkie outside North America returns to the roots of its predecessor, the European-market only Toyota Hilux-based Taro, by being based on a different vehicle, in this case, the new Ford Ranger.

Volkswagen exterior

The first non-Blue Oval vehicle to make use of the updated T6.2 platform, the others being the Everest, Ranger Raptor, Bronco and Bronco Raptor, the Amarok has been externally redesigned to incorporate a distinct Volkswagen look, as per comments made two years ago by Wolfsburg’s Commercial Vehicles Head of Design, Albert-Johann Kirzinger.

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“We are really working hard to have a 100 per cent Volkswagen, a true Volkswagen, and not only a rebadged Ford. I want you to rest assured that this Amarok will be a real beast,” Kirzinger told defunct Australian online publication, caradvice.com.au, at the time.

In a later statement, the executive remarked, “We’ve given the strength and power of the new Amarok an unambiguous expression–with clear Volkswagen DNA, inside and out”.

As indicated by the original teaser sketches in 2020 and then last year, the Amarok adopts a squared-off, less rounded look with a flatter grille seemingly derived from the Touareg.

Depending on which one of the five trim levels is selected, the Amarok offers four different grille designs, with the base, Life and Style getting their own unique look, while an X-shaped motif has been selected for the off-road focused Panamericana and the lifestyle orientated Aventura that replaces the Extreme.

Down the side, the silhouette from the Ranger prevails, but at the rear, the LED light clusters have been restyled, the wheel arches extended a bit more and the tailgate revised with block letter AMAROK badging.

Again depending on the trim level, wheel sizes up to 21-inches will be offered, along with a manual tonneau cover or an automatic roller-shutter similar to the one used on the Ranger and the Toyota Hilux Legend RS.

Dimensions

As per its new underpinnings, the Amarok gains dimensionally with its overall length increasing by 96 mm to 5 350 mm, wheelbase by 125 mm to 3 220 mm and height by two millimetres for a total of 1 880 mm.

At 1 910 mm, the Amarok is 34 mm narrower than its predecessor, but retains its 3 500 kg towing capacity.

Depending on the model, payload increases by 350 kg to a maximum of 1 200 kg and wading depth by 300 mm to 800 mm. No mentioning of ground clearance was made.

Compared to the outgoing model, the new Amarok’s breakover angle is rated 21-degrees versus the previous 21.4-degrees, while the approach angle increases by one degree to 29-degrees. The claimed departure angle now stands at 21-degrees versus the outgoing model’s 23.4-degrees.

Returning for the first time since 2017 is a single cab capable of transporting two Euro pallets, with Volkswagen claiming improved rear head-and-legroom in the double cab. As with the Ranger, a cargo management is incorporated into the loadbin itself with.

Inside

Teased in sketch form in December last year and then in January, followed by two separate glimpses last month, the Amarok’s interior has been tweaked from that of the Ranger in the guise of restyled air vents, a Volkswagen specific steering wheels, physical switchgear and more premium materials.

An eight-inch digital instrument cluster is standard in most models with a twelve-inch display available as an option.

Kept though are the two infotainment systems; a 10.1-inch display on entry-level models and the twelve-inch setup, both with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and on automatic models, the same block gear lever as the Ranger.

Also offered is a wireless smartphone charger, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and in the case of the Panamericana, black alloy wheels, a tubular steel roll-bar and black Panamericana decals at the base of the doors.

Standard on higher-end models is LED lights, with the Matrix I.Q. LED being optional, along with a Harman Kardon sound system and no less than 20 new safety and driver assistance systems comprising Lane Change Assist, Trailer Assist, Blind Spot Detection, Adaptive Cruise Control, a 180-degree reverse camera, Autonomous Emergency Braking, a surround-view camera system, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Park Assist to name but a few.

Power

As eluded to in previous reports, underneath its bonnet, the Amarok jettisons the previous Volkswagen-made engines for the same options as the Ranger and Everest.

Made at the Blue Oval’s Struandale Engine Plant in Port Elizabeth, now Gqeberha, following last year’s R600-million investment, the 2.0-litre single and bi-turbodiesel Panther mills replace the TDI units of similar displacement and turbo allocation with outputs of 110kW/350Nm and 125kW/405Nm.

The standard transmission is a five-speed manual or in the case of the latter, a six-speed manual with option of a six-speed automatic.

The bi-turbo unit meanwhile also comes in two states of tune; 150 kW and 154 kW with torque capped at 500 Nm.

Both are paired as standard to the six-speed manual with the option, on the former, being the mentioned six-speed automatic and the latter, the recalibrated version of the General Motors co-developed ten-speed automatic.

Serving as the replacement for the long-since discontinued 2.0 TSI is the 2.3 EcoBoost petrol that develops 222kW/452Nm, an uptake of 22kW/32Nm on the same unit used in the North American-market Ranger. It will, however, only be available in select markets hooked to the ten-speed ‘box as standard.

At the sharp-end of the spectrum, the 3.0-litre V6, which accounted for the majority of Amarok sales since being introduced in 2016, comes in two states of tune; 177 kW and 184 kW with torque for both rated at 600 Nm.

Replacing the previous 190kW/580Nm 3.0 TDI V6, the internally designated Lion V6, once sold in the F-150 under the Powerstroke moniker, is mated to the ten-speed ‘box as standard, meaning it replaces the eight-speed Tiptronic that also featured on the 2.0 TDI.

As before, drive is routed to the rear wheels with four-wheel-drive models having a choice of a part-time system with low range, or a permanent setup similar to the outgoing model.

Arriving when?

According to Australia’s carexpert.com, a choice of eight colours will be offered; Clear White, Light Grey Metallic, Bright Beige Metallic, Midnight Black Metallic, Dark Grey Metallic, Bright Blue Metallic, Deep Red Metallic and Mid Blue Metallic.

As is known by now, two factories will assemble the Amarok; the General Pacheco plant in Argentina for South America and for more international markets, Ford’s Silverton Plant outside Pretoria that replaces the Hanover facility in Germany as part of Dearborn’s record R15.8-billion investment last year.

In an unexpected turnaround, Volkswagen has confirmed availability from the final quarter of this year, not from the first quarter of next year as previously stated, which will South Africa one of the first markets to receive it.